


What was lost can sometimes be found

by FicJunkie



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Din Djarin Needs a Hug, F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mandalorians being Mandalorians, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Season/Series 01, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28233729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FicJunkie/pseuds/FicJunkie
Summary: Din had been told to find the Jedi and return the child to his own kind.  All he has to go on is a name, one that leads him to another of his kind, a Mandalorian like he'd never seen before.  A woman looking for a Jedi as well.  Thrown together, their two views rarely agree but maybe this quest to help the child will end up helping him find his place.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda, Din Djarin/Sabine Wren
Comments: 14
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is going to be basically an alternate season 2. All of the episodes are fair game for spoilers. Enjoy the whole second fic for this ship!

Din’s head still ached. The IG unit had told him it would take hours before he was fully healed but the continuous itch as the skin knitted itself back together was almost maddening. This was becoming one of the rare times he hated the Way. The stubborn itch was more annoying than the pain. Pain was something he was used to.

He glanced over at the child, still sleeping peacefully on the seat. No one would have expected this small being of wielding such power. Except for the others like the small boy. Others he had been quested to find. Now the question was how the hells he was supposed to do that. He had travelled the outer rim extensively. His bounties had taken him to all sorts of planets. But he had never seen such a species, he was sure of it. And as for these Jedi … perhaps the Mandalorians were not the only ones in hiding because of the Empire.

Before leaving Nevarro, Cara had given him one clue. A name wasn’t much but it was a start. If you called getting near royalty a start. Leia Organa would be impossible to get to directly, he knew that but there would be less official channels. The woman had married a former smuggler according to what he could find; there had to be means to access her that way. But with only whispers of a Jedi know to the woman, it was still a long shot.

He was good at what he did, each name leading to another. Then another. And another. Until it led to the former Alliance general. General Hera Syndulla wasn’t a familiar name to him, but he learned far too quickly her reputation as a pilot was well deserved. And whoever her gunner was, he wouldn’t want to meet them head-on. One engine was already sputtering when the kid saved their hides. But not with those powers.

The coordinates he’d been given hadn’t made sense until he’d seen the other ship. He tried hailing them on sight, but jumping in that close to them in the middle of nowhere probably didn’t make him come off as trustworthy. The Corellian ship fired first, a warning shot but he wasn’t about to risk dying here. Din moved to evade them, pulling a manoeuvre to get behind her ship. The general didn’t seem to like that much, rounding on the Razor Crest so the gunner could fire before he could react. 

The comms were still open, the child’s excited squeal almost deafening. “Is that a baby?” a perplexed voice cried from the other end.

“Yes!” he shouted. “I only want to talk to you! Stop firing!”

He could hear the sigh, hopeful he might actually get the information he’d come for. “Who’s onboard?” the voice asked.

“Just me and the kid.”

She let out another sigh. “You can dock,” she replied. “Unarmed. And I better see the kid or I’m shooting, got it?”

Doing as she asked, he picked up the kid once they were docked. “This better get us some results,” Din grumbled, already knowing they’d be stuck out here until he fixed the damage.

He waited for the door to open, holding up the arm not clutching the child to him and paused for what he assumed was the general to admit them onto her ship. The Twi’lek was alone, dropping the blaster she was holding slightly at the sight of the child. She smirked slightly. “Of course, you’re Mandalorian,” she said instead of a greeting. “Can you put the kid down? I need to make sure you’re unarmed. I’ve known too many of your kind to just trust you.”

His eyes never left the blaster as he put the kid down slowly with a useless order to stay put. The little guy would do whatever he wanted, no matter what he said. She patted him down roughly, eying his wrists. This general was telling the truth. Moving cautiously, he removed the vambraces placing them in her care. Her shock was obvious.

“I do just want to talk,” he insisted.

She nodded slightly before calling out a name. He tensed until he saw an astromech wheeling over. “Keep watch, okay?” she said to it.

The droid replied, the small arms protruding from it’s head waving wildly. “Any droids in there?” she asked, turning back to him.

“No, I don’t trust them,” he replied automatically.

She snorted. “Probably smart.”

The droid protested loudly. “Except for you, Chop,” she replied, patting it’s dome affectionately.

The kid had started to wander already, leaving him to scramble to pick him up before he got them both in trouble. Hera just tilted her head, nodding for him to go first. She didn’t trust him, she had no reason to, he would need to talk fast. He was ushered into the galley, relatively small but already occupied. The boy looked human except for the unnatural green hair.

“Jacen, honey? Can you watch this little guy for me?” Hera said. “I need-”

Din’s abrupt ‘no’ startled the boy, his face dropping. “The child stays with me,” he explained.

Hera’s colour was rising, rounding on him. “My son doesn’t see many kids and I’m guessing this little guy doesn’t either,” she replied tersely. “Let them play while you explain what you’re doing here.”

“They stay in the room,” he conceded, putting the child down. 

Hera nodded, looking over at her son. The kid toddled over, babbly happily. He watched him go over to the other boy, still wary. “Be good,” he added just in case.

Din turned back to Hera, surprised she seemed to be studying him. “It’ll be fine,” she insisted. 

“The kid … he has powers,” he admitted. “Sometimes things go wrong.”

She glanced back at the boys, staring intently. “What do you mean?”

“He … he can do things I can’t explain,” he answered hesitantly. “Like move things without touching them. Heal people who should have died. Other things too.”

She turned back to him, eyes wide. “That baby? He’s a Jedi?”

It was his turn to be surprised, most of the people he spoke to didn’t believe or thought the Jedi were a myth. He hadn’t come here about this, just hoping the woman before him would be another step closer to Leia Organa but perhaps she knew more. “You know of the Jedi?” he asked instead. “Most don’t believe. Or won’t talk.”

“Who sent you?” she asked suspiciously, raising the blaster to aim at him.

“Well, I guess I came at a good time,” a voice sounded from behind him. 

He turned, more than happy for his helmet when the armoured woman walked into the room. She was wearing the Mandalorian style armour, but he had never seen one such as her. It wasn’t painted in a dull colour like his cohorts back on Nevarro and it certainly wasn’t freshly made like his own. It stood out, painted in various designs, the Starbird on the chest the only recognizable one to him. Hera had said she’d known many of his kind, but she hadn’t mentioned one was on board. His fingers itched, wanting to grab his gun on instinct. If she was truly one of his own kind, she was dangerous.

He wasn’t used to many women, most of those in his culvert were men. Save for the Armourer, he’d had little experience with them. But the owl-eyed helmet meant one thing in his experience and her slender curves confirmed it. Any thoughts of that disappeared quickly as she reached up to remove her helmet. Hera was still training her blaster on him, but it didn’t matter. “Where did you get that armour?” he snarled.

She finished removing the helmet, the brightly coloured hair underneath yet another surprise. The woman didn’t look offended, more amused by the accusation. “It’s been in my family for centuries,” she replied casually. “Something you can’t say. You look like a walking target.”

“That armour belongs with a Mandalorian!”

She still didn’t seem bothered, shrugging. “I was born on Mandalore,” she answered simply. “I can trace my lineage for generations. I’m as Mandalorian as you can get.”

“Then why remove your helmet!” he insisted.

He watched her face closely, seeing the confusion ripple over her face. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“It’s against the code!”

“What are you talking about?”

Hera walked into his eye line, a frown marring her face. She shrugged at her companion before turning to him, blaster lowered but still held tightly in her hand. “Look, I don’t know what your bucket has to do with anything but you’re scaring the kids,” she stated firmly. “You two can fight about this later but Sabine is a damn Mandalorian, trust me. So, respect my friend on my ship or you’re getting off of it. Now.”

He looked back at the children, Hera’s boy looking tense, but the kid’s reaction concerned him more. Wide eyed with his ears perked up, he was looking between him and the woman. The realization dawned on him after a moment, the kid must have thought he was a damn droid. He didn’t even want to consider why that idea hurt. Or what thinking on it would bring back up.

He nodded, sitting back down so he could keep this Sabine in his sights. She was small and looked young, but she was armed well and the bodysuit beneath her armour showed off her athletic build a little too well. He wasn’t sure he believed either of these women, but he would be in for a fight unarmed as he was.

Sabine took a seat on the floor, closer to Jacen and the small green alien. It was cute and a little too interested in her as it looked back and forth between her and the strange man who’d come to find Hera. Since the purge, finding new people of her kind was rare; she couldn’t help but be a little curious about him. She put on an air of disinterest, watching the kids but was listening intently for Hera and the man to speak. Since his outburst, he seemed stubbornly silent; seeing him watch her right back in her periphery. 

Hera noticed it too, arms crossing over her chest. “I’m waiting,” she finally huffed out. “Is this about the Jedi or not?”

She snapped her head back to them; it had been a long time since Hera had said that word. Too many painful memories of what she had lost in that explosion. Whoever this guy was, she was suddenly a little too interested. Ezra was still missing; even after all of these years, Ahsoka promised her there was still hope he was alive. And if this guy knew something, she needed to know it too. She didn’t even try to hide her interest any longer, watching him as much as she was able. His refusal to remove the helmet just annoyed her at first, but now she desperately wanted to be able to see his face. Read between the lines.

He nodded slowly, retaking his seat. She couldn’t get much from his body language, but she would have to try. His tenseness was obvious; he wasn’t all that bulky even with the armour. He looked back at her, feeling his stare like a heavy weight. “Does she need to be here?” he asked, the annoyed tone coming through.

Hera simply raised an eyebrow at him. “Tell me what this is about, and we’ll see,” she replied, barely holding back the smirk. “Let’s start simple, a name would be nice.”

She didn’t think it was possible, but he tensed up further. Enough was enough, rolling her eyes. “What? Mandalorians’ can’t tell people their names either with this code of yours?” she huffed.

It was almost amusing how easily she was annoying him. “Din,” he replied, arms crossing over his chest.

Hera turned to her, shaking her head. “I will never complain about your attitude ever again after this,” she laughed. “Alright, Din,” she continued, “What’s this all about?”

He wasn’t particularly verbose, but Din got his story out with a lot of prodding from Hera. Once he stopped concentrating on her like she was about to attack him any second, his gaze went mostly to the small child cooing happily to Jacen. His shoulders finally stopped hunching, the tenseness he’d been carrying since she stepped in the room left. A little anyway. She was sure he be ready to attack if she so much as moved in the direction of the boys. But it all boiled down to one thing - family. A sentiment she could well understand. Their views on their people might be different but they definitely shared that one. 

Hera was silent for a moment, absorbing his words. It was her turn to look over to the children, paying close attention to the little guy. “So, you need to find a Jedi to take him in? I mean, that’s the gist of it, right?” she finally asked.

Din gave a single nod. The guy certainly didn’t talk much. “Well, I guess it’s an easy solution then. Sabine’s looking for an old friend of ours who happens to be one. You two should just team up.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan starts to emerge when the truth comes out. Perhaps Sabine is more of Mandalorian than he first thought. And why is she so concerned with a dead man?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had no idea what to expect when I started to post this, so thank you to everyone who left kudos and subscribed!

“No!” Din cried out immediately, a little annoyed that Sabine somehow managed to sound even more put out by the idea than he did.

Hera folded her arms in front of her, looking between them with an exasperated frown before settling on her friend. “What’s the problem? He needs to find a Jedi and you need to find Ezra, looks like the same thing to me,” she said to the other woman.

He walked closer to them, this wasn’t his objective. “I came here looking for information about Leia Organa, not this,” he interrupted.

“Leia?” Hera asked, looking a little stunned. “I haven’t seen her in years.”

He barely held back the growl of frustration. Another dead end in a long line of them. “Then this was a waste of time.” He moved to pick up the child, ignoring the whine of complaint he gave. “We have to head back, buddy,” he said, trying to soothe the kid. “Sorry for the interruption,” he threw out as he turned to leave.

He made it three steps before Hera called back out to him. “At least listen to what I have to say. And it’ll give you some time to do repairs if we feed the kid. Sabine’s a good shot, there’s got to be some work that needs to be done.”

He paused, keeping his back to them. “He needs to stay with me,” he replied.

“I’ll bring something over then,” Hera huffed in amusement.

“Why?”

That question made him turn, not sure what Sabine was talking about. “Why what?”

She was looking at him steadily, head tilted to the side. “We aren’t about the steal the kid, why so overprotective?” she questioned. “What aren’t you saying?”

He could see comprehension appear in Hera’s eyes, facing him fully. He could always just get back on the Razor Crest, he doubted they would fire on him this time. The damage wasn’t bad enough that he couldn’t enter hyperspace, he would just need to pick a close destination. He had no reason to trust these women, but if Hera was a former general, she had no love for the Empire. And he might not agree with this woman claiming to be one of his kind, but she didn’t fit in with the Imperial ideals with her bright armour and hair. Since the attack on Nevarro, he’d been mostly alone. Even more alone than before. They spoke of knowing a Jedi, a missing one sure, but they had some idea. Far more than he knew. Maybe it was time to give if only a little.

“Ex-Imperials want him.”

They both cursed, Sabine’s was the only recognizable one to him. She knew Mando’a, making doubt himself just a little. They turned to each other, a rapid-fire discussion about Inquisitors and the Force; a discussion he only half understood. Any thoughts of leaving left his mind; there was more he needed to worry about if what they were saying was true. “There are people who hunt his kind?” he interrupted them.

“We haven’t seen one in years, but Ezra and Kanan …” Sabine trailed off, shying away from Hera for some reason.

“We’ve been without a Jedi for a while,” Hera added solemnly. “Have you told the New Republic? They must be able to do something.”

He shook his head. “They don’t do much in the Outer Rim.” 

Hera opened her mouth, but Sabine laid a hand on her shoulder. “Then what’s your plan? I hope it’s not flying around the galaxy looking for any clue you can find because that’s what it looks like to me.”

“I’ve kept him safe so far,” he grumbled at the insult.

“But for how long?” she persisted. “What do they want him for? He’s too small to fight for them.”

“Some experiment,” he answered honestly. “And I’ll protect him for as long as I live,” he said to Sabine pointedly.

“And if they kill you? What then? I don’t exactly want the Imps to get their hands on another Jedi, it doesn’t go well,” she replied, stepping closer to him. “I’ve seen what happens.”

He moved closer to her, putting down the kid. Just in case. “He’s my clan, I will protect him with everything I have!”

Sabine got right into his space, not willing to give up either. “I thought the same thing too and here I am, last of clan Wren!” she answered, voice rough. “My father, my mother, my brother were all lost in the purge! And I couldn’t stop it! What makes you think you can?”

Her chest was heaving, not sure why she had admitted so much to him. She turned her head away, not wanting to feel his judgmental gaze on her. She was sure it was there, even if she couldn’t actually see it. She had failed her family, and not for the first time. She had failed too many people. She didn’t want to see it happen again. Not with this little one. Another Jedi gone because of the Empire.

He didn’t say a word, just looking at her while her heart rate slowly came back to normal. “They’ll keep coming for him,” he finally replied, a certainty in his tone.

Hera seemed to have vanished, Jacen gone along with her. The small child just watching them silently. She had the disturbing thought this wasn’t the first time he’d been exposed to this kind of yelling match. And probably far worse if the Imps were involved. She looked over at the tiny boy, Jedi or not, he looked helpless. The Empire had chased Ezra and Kanan, wanting them for their powers. They had a team to help protect them. This little guy had one man.

“Hera’s right, you do need help,” she told him, trying to soften her tone.

Din was still holding himself tensely. He didn’t trust her, she knew that. Whatever his code was, she certainly hadn’t heard of it. He was unlike any Mandalorian she had ever met; she didn’t have any idea how she was supposed to get him to understand. There were few enough of them left, they couldn’t go back to their old ways of constant infighting.

“Why aren’t the others you know helping?” she tried again. “Where’s the rest of your clan?”

He let out a loud exhale, turning back to the child. “We’re a clan of two. The rest … they’re gone. Punished for helping us escape.”

Sabine’s eyes closed, the loss registering on her face. “How many?” she asked quietly.

“Too many.”

“You do need me,” Sabine said firmly. “And maybe I could use some help too.”

He didn’t want to admit she might be right, his list of allies far too short these days. This whole trip seemed like a dead-end at first; another name that led nowhere. Even if he found this princess, who knew if she could or would help him. These two women were the closest he’d come in the months he’d been searching to finding anything about the Jedi.

He was completely uncertain about Sabine, but she had the trust of Hera. Everything he had learned about the former general pointed to her being trustworthy and if Sabine had her confidence … It wasn’t in his nature to trust others, let alone others who weren’t a part of his tribe. But Karga, Cara, Kuiil - even the damn droid had somehow managed to prove themselves worthy. And the child. 

He had been nothing but a job. One he’d broken all the rules for. One he’d risked all to find a second time. An annoyance at first, the child had become more than a responsibility. He’d become family. And Mandalorians would risk anything for their families. He suspected these two women understood that too well.

“Doesn’t Hera need you?” he needled, a last ditch effort to talk his way out of this.

Sabine shook her head, smiling slightly. “I’m not usually with her, she’s just doing me a favour.”

He shook his head, this wasn’t why he’d come. He had put too many at risk already. He had a body count, but they usually deserved to die. But this woman didn’t, he was almost sure of that. He wasn’t sure she was like him, but if she was a Mandalorian he wasn’t willing to risk another one’s life. They were too few already, their kind in hiding. Sabine said her clan was dead and she was here instead of with more of their kind. She shouldn’t be forced to take on this burden, it was his to bear. Alone.

“I don’t need your help, there must be another way for me to find a Jedi,” he told her truthfully.

She shook her head, smiling sardonically. “What do you even know about them? The youngest Jedi I ever met was a teenager and he was a handful. I can’t even imagine what a baby with Force powers is like.”

“Then tell me.”

“We’d be here forever,” she laughed.

The child interrupted them, floating one of the other boy’s toys to him, chewing on the hard material. Sabine smirked when he startled back in surprise. “And that’s just one trick. I can’t wait to see what the toddler years bring.” 

“He’s older than me,” he countered.

She at least startled at that. “Well, I hope the kid doesn’t have a lightsaber yet, that would be really scary. Even if one of those would really come in handy right about now. It’s been a while but Kanan and Ezra taught me to use one while I had the Darksaber.”

He frowned in confusion, looking at this woman again. He’d been trained since childhood in various sorts of combat, it was the Way, but he had no idea what she was talking about. Perhaps the Jedi learned a different kind of fighting with those powers of theirs. He still knew so little about this race of sorcerers other than they had once been enemies. 

“I don’t even know what that is? A weapon?”

Her eyes widened, mouth working but no sound came out. “Then it is,” he huffed.

“You never learned of the Darksaber?” she finally managed to ask.

With a shake of his head, she launched into an explanation, the doubt creeping in the more she spoke. Why had he never heard of such a thing, if it was so important to Mandalorian history? She had said she had wielded the blade once, so unless it was destroyed or taken in the purge, it existed not that long ago. And then she described it; a dark blade that crackled with energy. A blade he had seen with his own eyes. 

Cutting her off, he put out a hand to stop the vitriol that was waiting to leave her mouth. Her face was so expressive, so easy to read. It was a wonder she wanted to remove her helmet; she would be far more effective if she left it on. “I’ve seen the blade you’re talking about.”

Her mouth snapped shut as she rushed towards him, her small hands gripping his shoulders hard. “Where? When? Who had it?” she asked in a rush.

“A man named Moff Gideon, I killed him,” he replied.

Her eyes became huge, while a smile broke out on her face. “Then you have the blade! This is amazing! Where is it?”

“It was probably destroyed in the explosion,” he answered, head ducking down.

“What!”

“I didn’t know!” he denied vehemently. 

Sabine let go, turning away from him to pace the room. He turned to look at the child, sitting quietly watching her with interest, toy forgotten. They needed to leave this place; not only had he failed to find the information he was looking for, but he’d also somehow managed to fail his fellow kind. Accidentally, but from her reaction, it was a great failure indeed. He moved to pick the kid up, planning on ignoring Hera’s offer and just find somewhere else to do repairs. And a little space to think might be best.

The kid cooed, tapping his helmet. “I’m sorry,” he said softly to the woman before him. “We’ll leave now, please thank Hera for her offer.”

Her head snapped up. “No, you can’t just leave! I need to know more!”

“What’s there to know?” he replied. 

“Everything!”

“I was tasked with finding a Jedi, I can’t just stop that!”

Sabine held her head high, walking calmly towards him. “Hera was right,” she stated like it was the truth this time. “We were fated to meet, it’s the Force at work, that’s what the Jedi I’ve known would say. We need to team up. And getting the Darksaber back is part of this, I know it.”


	3. Chapter 3

It had been two days of waiting. Two days of continuous doubt about his decision. Sabine and Hera refused to let him leave, convinced this was the right idea. And the happiness on the kid’s face was what kept him here. Hera trusted her droid completely, letting it find a way to keep the Imps off the kid as they waited. He didn’t have a clue what they were waiting for, Sabine’s favour was all the answer he would get. 

He did repairs while they remained, keeping half an eye on both kids while he worked. Hera would come in occasionally, bearing food and drinks. And advice. The engine was fixed faster than he would have supposed with her help. So now there was nothing to do but wait. He just didn’t know what for. Then Sabine came aboard, a few large bags with her. 

“What are you doing?”

She quirked an eyebrow at him. “I’m coming with you, remember?” she teased. “I do need some stuff.”

He eyed her things, wondering again how he had managed to get talked into this. “What did you bring?”

She just shrugged, dropping them onto the floor. “Where do I put them?”

He sighed, taking one of the large bags to haul over his shoulder. The crew cabin wasn’t exactly large, but it at least had another bed. It wasn’t much, especially with the hammock he’d rigged for the child. She didn’t say a word as she deposited her bag on the unused bunk. “Going to show me around?” she asked, sitting on the mattress.

“I still don’t like this idea,” he grumbled.

She rolled her eyes, before moving to stand before him. “Look, I’m not asking to be your best friend here,” she stated. “I just want to find Ezra. And as soon as Ahsoka gets here, we might have a place to start.”

“Who’s that?”

“A friend,” she answered cryptically. “She’s late, but that’s not uncommon. Hera needs to get home so I’m just getting set up, okay? Come help me with the last of my stuff.”

“There’s more?”

She laughed heartily. He shook his head but followed her anyway. He gave one last peek, making sure the boys were still content to play quietly. They seemed fine, Jacen talking about some battle while the kid cooed in reply. He didn’t see the point, but it was keeping them both out of the way. Hopefully, the person they were waiting on wouldn’t be much longer.

He followed her onto the Ghost, narrowly avoiding crashing into a racing Chopper. The droid squawked something at him. It didn’t like him much, usually chirping something every time it saw him. Something that usually made Hera and Sabine laugh. He hadn’t been in this part of the ship, surprised at how much room there actually was. She had a room of her own, brightly painted like her armour, supplies littering the space. One picture in particular drew him closer.

He recognized Hera, Sabine and the droid, but was unsure of the others. They looked like a strange group, but he could almost feel the pull between them all. “The one in the middle, that’s Ezra,” she said from behind him. 

“He’s a kid!” he said angrily, looking at the teenage boy in the painting.

“Not anymore,” she countered. “Ezra’s close to my age. And one of the few Jedi around so stop complaining.”

He let it go, for now, they would have plenty of time to argue about this since she decided she needed to join him. “Who are the others?”

“The big guy is Zeb, and the other is Kanan, Jacen’s father,” she replied, voice going quiet.

“Another Jedi, right?” 

She nodded, moving beside him to look up at the picture as well. The man was dead, he knew that with certainty. He looked back at the painting, not knowing what to expect from the Jedi. He’d thought they would appear more like the kid. “Jedi are human then?”

“They come in all shapes and sizes. Or they used to at least,” she answered. 

“So, they’re like us? They don’t care where you’re from?”

She peered over to look at him, smirking. “Finally decided I might actually be Mandalorian?” she teased. “But yeah, they didn’t care what species you were. You just needed the Force.”

He remained silent, not entirely sure what that meant. He was reminded again how narrow his education had been to the galaxy at large. What else had he not been taught? His parents were too distant a memory, what little they had taught him had long since faded. He was willing to consider she was Mandalorian, perhaps he hadn’t learned all of their ways after all. She had made a family for herself from the looks of it. One that didn’t follow the Way. He still had too many questions and wasn’t really sure he wanted the answers. 

Din didn’t reply, staring at the picture. Or at least she assumed he was since he was still refusing to show his face. “Not my best work, but I wanted to remember when I’m here,” she rambled out to break the silence.

He finally looked over at her, making her scowl. “You did this?” he asked.

She nodded, still annoyed at how impossible he made it for her to read him. “Why?”

“There’s more to life than just fighting,” she shot out, moving back to the bed to cram the last few things into her bag. “We should get going.”

She dropped the rest of her things into his ship, hating what was coming. She’d been alone too long, seeing Hera again, even for so short a time hurt. Jacen was always so much bigger every time she saw him now. And he looked more and more like Kanan each time. It had been years since he died but the hole he had left never fully healed. Losing Ezra right after hadn’t helped anything. But they had a war to fight, years slipping by impossibly fast. The purge just made everything worse. Even Ahsoka’s miraculous return hadn’t helped fill the void.

She was lonely. It was the simple answer, but it was also much more complicated than that. She lost both of her families in too short a time, never really finding a way to recover. Her art was usually a balm but after everything, the passion for it had faded. Zeb and Hera had other ties, had lives that needed them. Something she had also lost. So the search for Ezra had taken its place. But after so many years, she was losing hope. Despite Ahsoka’s reassurances.

She said her goodbyes, taking a page from Din’s book and putting on her helmet to hide the tears. It was getting harder to leave them each time, the search feeling more hopeless the longer it went on. Maybe some fresh and more objective eyes were just what they needed. This man, travelling alone with just a small child was a little odd to her. She had no idea how he survived but assumed a few things with the cache of weapons she’d seen. She hadn’t been a bounty hunter for long, but she suspected that’s how he made his living.

Din headed for the cockpit once Hera was away, the kid toddling after him. She didn’t understand the connection; she didn’t get how these two had ended up together. He wasn’t much of a talker either, seemingly nothing more than another lost soul trying to find his way in the galaxy. But she couldn’t help but be curious. It felt like too long a time since she had seen Fenn or Bo-Katan, and he wasn’t anything like them.

Her gear stored, she looked around the barren room, not wanting to face him yet. But Ahsoka was cautious, she would fire first if she didn’t see the Ghost. She needed to be up there. Making her way to the cockpit, the little guy looked up from the silver ball he was playing with, cooing at the sight of her. Din didn’t respond, simply looking out at the stars. She took the empty seat, settling in for a long wait.

It took almost two hours for something to happen, the ship mostly silent save for the odd mechanical clank. The kid made the occasional sound, Din sounding a little like Hera in her more exasperated moments with Jacen. The alarm blaring as a familiar ship approached was a welcome relief from the quiet. He moved to silence it, finally looking at her. “Let me talk,” she told him before he could say anything. 

Din gave a disappointed grunt but let her use the comm. She called out to Ahsoka immediately, knowing this hadn’t been the plan. At least she answered back without firing first. But she could tell her friend was hesitant about the change. Even more so about asking to board the ship. Too many years of running tended to do that to a person. A feeling she knew all too well.

“There’s someone you need to meet,” she tried, one last time. 

All of her assurances didn’t seem to be working, she could still hear the hesitance in Ahsoka’s tone when she replied. “He’s a Jedi,” she admitted.

Din turned sharply to look at her. “What are you doing?” he hissed.

“That him?” Ahsoka asked.

“My ride,” she answered. “He’s a little protective of the kid. That’s who I need you to meet. I promise it’s fine.”

Ahsoka signed off, but at least moved to dock her ship. “Answer me!” Din demanded again.

“Ahsoka is the closest thing to a Jedi I know at the moment,” she finally replied. “Maybe she can help. She won’t hurt him.”

Din grunted as he rose, hand moving to hover above his blaster anyway. She rolled her eyes again, heading to the interior of the ship. She could hear him following, the child babbling along. He held him in one arm, staying off to the side as if waiting for an attack to come the second he opened the door. She had to wonder just how often it had happened in the past for him to be so overprotective. 

He opened the door, hanging back as Ahsoka’s form was revealed. She was smiling slightly but she could see the Togruta’s eyes searching. She stepped back to let the other woman in, giving a subtle nod in the direction of Din. Ahsoka’s eyes widened at the sight of the small boy, the smile getting larger. 

Ahsoka turned to look at her. “I’m not quite sure how you manage to keep finding these children, Sabine,” she spoke, the mirth apparent in her voice. 

“So, he is a Jedi.”

Ahsoka shook her head. “No, but the potential is there. He’s strong with the Force.”

She set her gaze on Din. He held the kid close to him, not wavering from his stiff stance. Ahsoka refused to look away either, the silent standoff stretching until the child reached out a hand. Ahsoka reached out one of her own, smiling at the boy. The kid looked between the two of them, silent as he did it.

“Well, let’s see what we can learn about you, little one,” she interrupted. “If your friend is willing, of course.”

Din gave a jerky nod, walking towards the hold. They both followed, Ahsoka turning to give her a questioning gaze. He finally released the kid, taking a seat on a small container with an easy view of the room. He was always on guard, watching like a sentinel in case some danger was presented. Ahsoka seated herself on the floor, watching as the boy made his way over to her. Sabine had no part in this really, leaning back against the wall where she was out of the way. 

“Tell me how he came to be in your care?” Ahsoka asked as she watched the child.

Din told his story, still unsure what to think of the woman before him. He had little basis to form an opinion of the Jedi. That they were supposed to be powerful and an enemy was little help. But he could sense something about this woman, a confidence that radiated from her whole being that unnerved him. She looked strong, but unarmed, not at all what he was expecting. He’d been told so little; he wished he knew more about how they fought. More about these powers they possessed.

She listened attentively, eyes never leaving the kid as he walked around the room. He was getting tired, the child’s ears drooping slightly as he finally settled near Ahsoka. He needed to resist the urge to reach for his blaster as she reached out to the boy. The two sat in silence, both looking at each other intently. It was almost like they were having a conversation as they watched each other, he and Sabine completely ignored. But the child began to blink slowly, a sure sign he was reaching exhaustion. 

She seemed to know it too, leaning back from her seat on the floor to look at him. “We have much to talk about,” she stated knowingly.

He nodded, not sure what she could have learned but the confidence in her voice was there. “I need to put him down to sleep,” he answered, wanting a moment to think.

Ahsoka nodded, turning her gaze to Sabine. The two moved off to a corner, whispering to each other as he took hold of the kid. He took his time, watching as the kid’s eyes fluttered, trying to hold off on the inevitable. He couldn’t help but be a little fearful. Sabine had said she was close to a Jedi; would she take the child? What would she want to discuss with him?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka gives them some new information and Din finds out that life was going to be a lot more complicated from now on.

“Did you find anything?” she asked hopefully.

Ahsoka sighed, bringing her hopes crashing down. “I found a few potential places along the Purrgil’s route, but nothing definitive,” she answered honestly. “Ezra is resourceful, remember that. I’m certain he’s still alive.”

Sabine could only nod. She knew if Ahsoka had found him, she would have brought him back to her. The unknown regions were just that - unknown. Ezra’s sacrifice had saved them, saved Lothal but it had been almost a decade since he went missing. If he had escaped, wouldn’t he have contacted them by now? 

Ahsoka placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Don’t lose hope,” she repeated. “He was meant for more.”

Din walked in, giving her something else to focus on. He was silent as usual, but she could see how hesitant he was about her friend. His arms crossed over his chest, waiting for someone else to break the silence. Ahsoka took pity on him, asking where they could talk. He didn’t seem inclined to move, merely staying in his current position. 

“Would you like to know more about Grogu or not?” she asked.

That at least got a reaction, Din straightening up. “He has a name?”

“Of course he does,” she chuckled. “He’s older than all of us, why wouldn’t he have a name?”

“Wait, he’s older than us?” she interrupted.

“All I was given was an age when I found him. I didn’t believe it much.”

“Master Yoda at the Temple was over 800 years old. I think they’re the same species,” she replied. “Even when he’s full-grown, he won’t be very large.”

Din was silent, thinking back to the time he’d found the child. IG had said some species lived for centuries, but this was harder to hear. How long would it take for Grogu to be able to care for himself? He wasn’t helpless now but every time he used his powers, it exhausted him. He would never be able to care for the kid long term if it took another 50 years for that to stop. He needed to find one of these Jedi or stop the remains of the Empire. And with this Ahsoka here, he knew which one would be simpler. 

“Will you take him with you then?” he asked quietly, trying to ignore why that question pained him.

“No.”

Her answer surprised him. “Why not?”

“I’m not a Jedi,” she replied. “I left the order too long ago and never finished my training. But most of all, I don’t think he’s ready.”

He was getting tired of her cryptic answers, marching closer to her. “What does he need to be ready for? He’s a child! I started my training then!”

She looked away from him, turning to Sabine for support. “To become a Jedi … it requires dedication and discipline. Without those, a Jedi can lose their way. If he were to do that …”

“It’s not good,” Sabine finished. “You don’t want that for him.”

Ahsoka returned her gaze to him, her look almost imploring. “He’s blocked out much of his past. Whatever those experiments were, it’s left a darkness within him,” she continued. “He needs someone wiser than I. Or perhaps it’s better to just leave him be and never train him.”

This woman was frustrating him all to hell. “Which is it then? Do I find a Jedi or forget it?” he gritted out. “I swore to protect him, but I can’t do that if he’s going to outlive me by centuries! What do I do?”

She gazed over at Sabine, the other woman just shaking her head. “That’s something you need to decide with him,” she answered. 

“I can’t talk to him!” he admitted. “He doesn’t listen to me and he doesn’t speak! I need help, not this!”

It felt like this conversation was completely pointless, turning to head back to the cockpit. This woman’s only help had been to give him a name, the rest of her advice wasn’t useful to him at all. The urge to check on the kid made him detour, heading back to their room. He was still sleeping, eyes fluttering while he dreamed. But the kid was prone to nightmares, Ahsoka’s words about a darkness within made him worry. Whatever those Imps had done to him, he would never let them try it again.

He heard the footsteps before he saw her, tensing up. “I guess he looks like a Grogu,” Sabine stated. “It beats calling him kid all the time, at least.”

“I don’t like your friend,” he answered.

“I think she got that loud and clear,” she laughed. “She’s gone but she gave me some places we need to check out. And just for the record, Jedi can get a little … frustrating at times. You might want to learn to keep your cool better.”

He didn’t answer, just taking a moment. He’d always felt like somewhat of an outsider; he’d gotten far too used to being alone. Learning to adjust to the kid … Grogu had been hard enough. Their relationship was something he still couldn’t contemplate. But having another adult around was a wholly different thing. Especially with her. She was nothing like the others from the covert. They had done so much to remain hidden, unnoticed by the world at large. Sabine didn’t hide herself; with her bright armour and colourful hair, she stood out immediately. Where he was silent, she was loud. She made art; a subject he’d never given any thought to. But she claimed to be a Mandalorian like him. He’d seen the galaxy, but in his travels, he’d never met another Mando like her. Which was the right way?

She was still looking at him, her faint smile getting bigger. “Did I lose you there?”

“I’m not used to other people,” he admitted, turning to head to the cockpit.

Sabine followed him silently, settling back into the empty seat. “I’m fine with skipping the small talk, just so you know,” she stated firmly. “So, the question is where to? The places we need to head for Ezra are in the unknown regions, that’s going to take some planning so I think getting the Darksaber should come first. We can load up on supplies once we get it.”

“Then I’m going to need to take a few jobs,” he sighed. “If we’re going back to Nevarro, I can see if someone I know in the Guild can throw me a few bounties.” This mission just seemed to keep getting longer and more complicated.

“Don’t worry about the credits, I’ve got it,” she replied. “This is my mission too.”

Din didn’t reply, not that she was expecting him to. All she had learned so far today was that he was a bounty hunter and a little testy. She was getting the feeling she would have more interesting conversations with the kid than him. She’d spent a lot of her life avoiding other Mandalorians, too ashamed about what she had done. Then the purge had happened, taking away too many of those she did know. A few had survived, and none of them were like him. The sudden urge to talk to Fenn was strong, but that was a conversation that was best to have in person. If they got their hands on the Darksaber, she might be able to make that happen.

He set the coordinates, silent as he worked. Whatever this man was, she wasn’t about to figure him out sitting in silence. He didn’t seem inclined to talk, she would need to work on him. A lot. Rising from her seat, she headed back to their quarters; she needed to get herself unpacked. The room was small, especially for three. She would need to find somewhere else to store most of her gear. The kid was still sleeping, a reminder that she would need a better place to store her weapons. She put aside that bag, she could put hers with his, that would be safest. Her art supplies would need to be somewhere safe as well; she doubted he’d let her paint his ship like Hera had. But they had practically been family.

She went with the weapons first; they were the most dangerous. He had enough of an arsenal, but a severe lack of explosives. She could tell a lot about him sadly, just from the blasters. She preferred quick and quiet, causing the most damage but from his supply, he definitely had a completely different style. It made sense if he hunted bounties solo, she had been more of a team player. There wasn’t much room, but she emptied the first bag, going back to finish off.

She wasn’t expecting the kid to be awake when she came back, eyes wide open and ears perked. He cooed happily at her, arms reaching out. She wasn’t used to children, just a few cousins when she was younger and Jacen but that was pretty much the universal sign to be picked up. She looked towards the cockpit, hoping for any sign of Din but the corridor was all too quiet. Grogu babbled something, drawing her attention back to him. Din seemed to let the kid have full reign, she couldn’t see the harm of letting him down. She picked the boy up, fully meaning to put him down immediately. The kid surprised her, one small arm reaching up so he could tap one of his clawed fingers on her cheek the other pointing to her helmet on the bed. She was confused, carrying him over.

“You want to see this?” she guessed, picking it up.

It took a few minutes, the babytalk not particularly helpful to figure out he wanted her to put it back on. “I guess that’s what you’re used to, huh?” she questioned.

She did as requested, learning with trial and error that he found her taking it off and on again was a fun distraction. It was like a strange game of peekaboo, but it kept him amused. 

“What are you doing?”

She startled, her helmet falling to the floor as she whipped around. “We were just playing,” she replied, walking the few steps to him to hand the kid over.

Grogu tried the same manoeuvre, tapping Din’s helmet expectantly. His ears drooped when he didn’t get the same reaction and began fidgeting. Din set him down, watching as he walked over to Sabine’s bag. She hurried over, picking it up to place it out of reach. 

“Not today, little guy. Maybe I’ll let you get into the paint another time.” She turned to Din. “So, you really don’t take off the bucket, even for him?”

Din shook his head, not sure he could keep his voice steady. He hadn’t really thought about it, how strange it was that Grogu wanted to see him. He’d been raised this way, never seeing any of his tribe members faces. She didn’t reply, muttering about how impossible it must be to eat while going back to her bed to lift the sole remaining bag. “I put my weapons in with yours, so the kid doesn’t get into trouble,” she declared. “Well, more trouble than normal. Anywhere I can store these? I doubt you want bright yellow handprints all over the ship.”

“What did you bring that for? We don’t need it,” he asked testily.

She looked at him curiously, head tilted as she tried to figure him out. “Life isn’t just about need for some of us,” she replied, “but I get the feeling you don’t really understand that.”

He didn’t answer, not wanting to admit she was right. His life had been going from job to job, doing what he could to survive and earn for the covert. He’d been raised to do what was best for all, not just himself. The doubts about her heritage crept in again. “What’s the point of art? It does nothing to help anyone,” he asked.

She raised an eyebrow at him, giving him a barely there smile. “I pity you, Din Djarin,” was her amused reply. “So, the cargo hold or handprints? Your decision.”

“Fine,” he answered shortly. “We’ll be there in a few hours, make sure you’re armed.”

He could hear her laughter as she walked away. “I always am!” 

The kid was watching him, making him keep the expletives he wanted to utter inside. “I think this was a bad idea,” he told the boy as he picked him up. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

Grogu understood that word well enough, perking up again. He went through the motions, preparing their rations mechanically. It just gave him too much time to think, his life had changed a little too much recently. Now the added passenger or partner, whatever he was supposed to call Sabine had thrown his life out of order again. He missed the days of quiet. Or at least that’s what he kept telling himself. He was rarely this frustrated; he hadn’t been since he was a child, training. But the nagging doubt remained that he also hadn’t felt anything back then either. And he wasn’t sure which was better.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Din returns to Nevarro and gets talked into a favour. It gives Sabine a chance to see a new side of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late. We got put back on lockdown and I now seem to have less time instead of more. Not sure how that works lol
> 
> This is basically an alternate version of The Siege, so I didn't get too much into the episode because I'm assuming most people reading this have seen it.

They made their approach to Nevarro, Cara and Karga already waiting for him by the time he had landed. The kid - Grogu, he corrected himself, looked excited. In the quiet of space, he couldn’t help thinking about what little Ahsoka had told him. Just how much did Grogu understand. It was easy to dismiss a lot of the kid’s actions, but he wasn’t really a kid, was he? He was some kind of being with a dark past that he didn’t want to remember; maybe they had more in common than he’d initially thought. Grogu seemed to listen to Sabine just fine, the slight tinge of jealousy creeping in.

“Maybe you should just stay here,” he commented, turning to her before lowering the ramp. “I can get what we need.”

She simply raised an eyebrow at him. “Embarrassed to be seen with me?” she teased, standing there firmly before pulling on her helmet.

That wasn’t the problem, not really. Too many years of only being allowed to leave their hiding spot in small numbers was too ingrained in him. Not to mention the questions that would arise from the closest thing he had to friends. Another Mandalorian, a female one at that, had to bring up some questions. Ones he wasn’t prepared to answer. The ramp came down with a thud, Cara smiling at him while Karga made a gesture to the child with his hands. He supposed he could understand his change of heart, Grogu had saved his life. Their expressions changed simultaneously, knowing immediately that Sabine must be visible.

Sabine scanned them both for threats, not sure what she’d been expecting. Both were armed but relaxed, so she cast her glance wider to the town behind them. It looked like many of the places she had visited over the years, another sleepy town just going along with its business in the far outreaches of the galaxy. She let the group have a moment, but she could feel their stares as she stood at the base of the ramp. The woman, a small Starbird symbol on her cheek seemed the most curious, staring at the similar one on her armour.

“So, who’s your new friend?” the woman asked, a hint of a smirk in place while she did it.

The man finally tore his eyes away from the child, looking her over. “Another Mando? Is she any good?” he asked. “I’m always looking for good bounty hunters and considering how well this one has worked out for me ...” he trailed off with a thumb pointed at Din.

“I’ve tried it, not my thing,” she replied, removing her helmet to smile at him and lessen the bluntness of her words.

She knew Din never removed his, but she was a little surprised by their reactions. They both stuttered out replies, the words getting jumbled together as they turned towards him. She could make out a few words, curiosity piqued at the woman’s ‘you almost let yourself die for what then?’ She looked over at Din, entirely too curious to know how he was reacting.

“I’m not sure she’s a real Mandalorian,” he huffed, turning to pick up the kid.

She rolled her eyes, approaching the group. “Yeah, the feeling is mutual,” she snarked. “Unlike him, I have some manners though. I’m Sabine.”

“Greef Karga,” the man introduced himself. 

“Cara,” the woman chimed in. “Did you serve?”

“Specters,” she replied easily. “You?”

“Shock troopers.” They nodded, a mutual understanding forming instantly.

“And how did you end up with this lug?” Karga asked. “He seems to have a habit of finding beautiful women. I don’t get it.”

“We’re both looking for the same thing,” she answered vaguely, not sure how much they knew about the kid.

“We need some supplies,” Din interrupted brusquely. 

“We do,” she added. “I’ve got credits -”

The pair turned to each other, a silent conversation happening before her. Her gut clenched, worried what the two were about. She glanced over at Din, only to find him looking at her. She cursed the stupid helmet for the thousandth time, wanting to get a read on the man. Karga turned to Din, a slightly embarrassed look on his face. 

“Now that you’re here, we actually had a favour to ask. Help us out, and you can keep those credits.”

They filled him in briefly. Breaking into an old Imperial facility hadn’t been in his plans. In fact, getting anywhere near an Imperial facility was the last thing he wanted. He looked towards Sabine, shocked at the smile on her face. “I’m always happy to blow up any leftover Imps,” she replied, the grin almost feral. “It’s been a while since I’ve had to infiltrate one.”

“That’s not what we came for,” he reminded her.

Sabine shrugged, but refused to look away. Cara cleared her throat. “Hate to break up the love spat, but they might have some info on the kid there,” she continued. “We need it destroyed.”

“Even better,” Sabine added.

He held back the growl, beyond frustrated and they’d only been planet side for a few minutes. Things were spiralling out of control, a feeling he was getting far too used to. Karga just tossed a coin to two techs with the added message to make sure the ship was in good order before he reached out for Grogu, pulling the kid from his hands, talking to the boy. Cara grinned at him, eyes sliding over to Sabine before moving to follow the magistrate. He caught up with her, taking in the changes to the town. It looked almost nothing like when he had left it, no traces of the damage the Imperials had wrought. It was cleaner, brighter - the people didn’t seem to carry the fear they had from before. 

They headed towards a familiar building, amazed they had managed to salvage it let alone turn it into a school. But when Karga suggested leaving Grogu, everything in him rebelled. “No!”

“He’ll be safe here, and we need someone to watch him,” Karga insisted. “We can’t bring him with us.”

He didn’t care how much had changed; he couldn’t just leave the kid here. He reached out for the child and turned to Sabine, her eyes widening. “Oh, no,” she told him firmly. “I don’t do kids.”

“He likes you and we still need the supplies,” he tried, holding the boy out to her. Grogu reached towards her, cooling happily.

“Yeah, I told him that once, you’re not going to win,” Cara chuckled. “Mind you the idiot was dying at the time and being a real stubborn bastard about it.”

Sabine huffed but took the child from Din. “Fine, but I want to hear this story.”

She followed them to what must have been an office, holding back her laugh at the Mythrol’s reaction to Din. Karga handed her a stack of credits. “Get what you need on me,” he winked at her. “We’ll meet you back at the ship in a few hours.”

She nodded, unable to resist giving Din a dirty look. Not that she could tell how he responded to it. “Well, Grogu, I guess we get to shop.”

She loaded up with food, fuel cells, and a few other necessities, even having time to feed the kid a meal. He was like most children she had met, a never-ending pit where food was concerned. They headed back to the Razor Crest, no one in sight but the two technicians from before. Grogu was getting sleepy, setting the kid down in his hammock to rest. She was still pissed at being left behind, the quiet giving her far too much time to stew. And worry. This was taking too long. She’d blown up enough buildings, something had to be wrong. 

His ship didn’t have much in the way of technology, but she needed to try something. She headed back to the quarters, waking up the kid before hauling back to Karga’s office. It was empty but unlocked, finding the map easily. She knew an Imperial site when she saw it. Grogu laughed as she ran back to the ship, ignoring the stares she must be getting. She punched in the coordinates, heading in the direction of the base.

She took turns scanning out the viewscreen and trying to familiarize herself with the controls just in case she needed to blast them out when she saw him. Din alone with his jet pack couldn’t be a good sign. She prayed she hit the right button to open the cargo door, her heart beating wildly until she heard his heavy footfalls as he ran.

Din sighed in relief when he heard the kid babble something from the cockpit. “Move over, we need to go back for them.”

She barely avoided snapping at him as she slid out of the captain’s chair, settling instead for sarcasm. “Gee, something went wrong? Maybe next time you’ll let the trained warrior who’d broken into multiple places help!”

“Fine, you were right,” he grumbled, pushing the ship to go faster. 

“Three TIEs, up ahead,” she told him, moving to grab the kid. 

“I see ‘em,” he replied tersely. “Strap the kid in!”

She placed Grogu on her lap, buckling them both in, still holding the boy firmly. She had to admit, he was good - he knew exactly how to handle his ship, taking the TIEs out with relative ease. The kid loved it, squealing with joy. “Might just make a Mando out of you yet, kiddo,” she teased.

The boy made a noise that sounded enough like agreement to her, unstrapping them both. Karga’s voice came in over the comms as she set him on the other seat, asking when they were coming back. “There’s something I need to check first, but we’ll see you soon.”

She stood up, leaning over him. “Is it done at least?”

“Facility is gone, but I need to see something for myself.”

“If we’re going to be partners, we both need to work together,” she added. “I’m not here to babysit.”

Din nodded jerkily but didn’t answer. She sighed, pressing him further. “Then how about telling me where we’re going.”

He was quiet for a moment, looking back at Grogu. “It was a lab,” he answered. “We found a recording, it was about him.”

She blinked in surprise. “They held him there?”

“Don’t know, but it said … Gideon, I didn’t kill him,” he answered. “I need to know for myself.”

She remained silent, watching as the terrain turned black, rivulets of lava flowing freely. She had no idea what he was looking for, a body would be long gone in this environment. It wasn’t until she saw what looked like the remains of a crashed TIE that she understood. He landed nearby, picking the kid up as he headed towards the door. 

It had been mostly stripped, Jawas if she had to guess but she knew from experience, those ships were tough. They walked closer, not sure what she expected him to find but she saw something familiar. Her hands ran over the cut metal, too perfect to be done by Jawas. “He still has the Darksaber,” she whispered to herself.

“What?”

She pointed out the cut. “Not many things could do this, but a lightsaber is one of them,” she said louder this time. “He was probably banged up, but he lived.”

Din swore, turning on his heel to head back to the ship. She needed to sprint after him to catch up. “What’s the hurry?”

“We need to get out of here,” he replied, slamming the button to close the ramp. “Now, before he gets alerted we were here at all,” he answered as he continued to the cockpit.

“What about your friends?”

“Did you get the supplies?” he asked instead of answering.

“Yeah but -”

He raised a hand to silence her, hitting the button for the comm. “Mando? You done already?”

“We need to get out of here, I’m sorry,” he replied. 

Cara’s voice filtered through. “You just don’t want your new friend hearing my story,” she teased.

He laughed lightly, the noise sounding odd coming from him. “I’ll fill her in,” he replied. “I don’t know when we’ll be back, so you two take care.”

“I’ll keep my enforcer in line, don’t you worry,” Karga chimed in. “Now you and that lovely young lady stay out of trouble.”

It was her turn to laugh. “I doubt that will happen from what I’ve seen so far.”

“You two are a perfect match then,” he answered cheekily.

“And I’m signing off,” Din replied, turning off the comm.

She looked down at the man, still trying to figure him out. They hadn’t exactly been together long, but he must hold a few surprises in him. She leaned forward against his seat as they moved out of atmo. “So, there is a personality under that thing. Who would have thought?” she teased him as the clouds gave way to the darkness of space.

“Where are we heading?” he asked abruptly.

She rolled her eyes, sitting back down in the empty chair. “Head back to where we met up with Hera, we can try and figure out the coordinates Ahsoka gave me on the way.”

He made no reply, punching something into the console. The stars gave way, blurring into the familiar lines of hyperspace. She moved to get up but paused as he unscrewed the top of one of the levers, handing it to the kid. Grogu looked thrilled, clutching it to himself as he babbled. Din kept his gaze on the boy, and she could almost feel her lips curl up in a smile. She’d had her own strange family once, one most Mandalorians wouldn’t understand. Maybe she and Din had more in common than she thought.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While exploring the unknown regions, Sabine and Grogu bond, finding a shared activity. It leads to them finding something they didn't expect.

The list Ahsoka had given them was extensive; the worry nagging at her that it would take years to go through all of the coordinates. She wanted to be thorough; she wanted to check every single one but after their second trip to resupply themselves she was losing hope fast. Din was annoyed. A part of her was proud that she’d learned to read him but after months of such close quarters, figuring out each other’s quirks was inevitable. They’d fought a lot, they’d shared a few laughs, particularly over the kid but mostly they’d sat trying to find some way to keep themselves busy during the long stretches in hyperspace. But they’d found some common ground at least.

The unknown regions didn’t have much, most of the worlds they checked were uninhabited or if they were, there was no technology to speak of. The tales she’d heard as a child spoke of people getting lost forever, but they somehow managed to find their way each time. But it was taking too long and even she was losing hope of this plan ever working. She didn’t dare venture too far out, even with Ahsoka’s instructions. They didn’t need to become just as lost as her friend and the ability to stock up was harder the further they went.

They loaded the last of the supplies, on one of the rare worlds that was able to trade this far out. It didn’t seem to matter where you went in the galaxy, bounty hunters were in need. Din was good, and together they made a far too efficient team. But the kid was growing, getting more curious and his powers were showing more. He needed training, his ability to use the Force too unpredictable. They needed to find Ezra soon or head back into familiar space.

Din sighed, the last crate filling up the hold save for the small space she’d reserved for herself. Painting ended up being a great way to occupy the kid, getting himself messy just like he was a normal child. And on a few of the more frustrating trips, the space worked well for sparring, pushing her supplies to the side. Their styles varied completely but it just made things more of a challenge. Another way for her to try and figure this man out.

“You ready?” he asked when she didn’t say anything.

She turned towards him, nodding, not able to say what she knew it was time to say. They couldn’t do this forever. She could feel him watching her, jumping into the ship to avoid his gaze. They would need to make some decisions - soon - but she wasn’t able to do that just yet. Just as she had learned to read him, Din had learned her. He knew when to avoid her, leaving her in peace. Not that she felt particularly peaceful at the moment. 

Painting had been such a huge part of her life, even in childhood. Her bond with her father just came easier, happy to spend hours with him while he worked on his own art. But since the Purge, since the Empire had ripped apart her life yet again, it had been harder for her to paint. She still wasn’t sure why she had brought these supplies; Grogu got more use out of them than she did at this point. She stared at the blank canvas again, nothing coming to her.

The coo startled her, Grogu toddling in with his favourite toy. She really needed to look into finding the boy a real one to play with. She smiled down at him, already too fond of the little guy. Even if watching him eat was a little disturbing. “Want to play, buddy?”

He pointed at the blank canvas and she knew what he wanted. She pulled it down, placing it on the floor with a few different colours to choose from. The ball was forgotten, giving her the chance to put it in a pocket so it didn’t end up lost. She didn’t bother trying to teach him anything like her father had, letting him dip his sharp claws in the paints at random. The pictures that resulted always looked the same, large blobs that were made from his hands with smaller lines drawn in between some of them. He was too little or at least had too little understanding for her to try and teach him anything useful, but he seemed to at least enjoy their time like this. But it was always his reaction after he finished, tapping the pictures insistently, that she couldn’t understand.

“It’s good!” she’d always tell him, putting in more enthusiasm each time. But her encouragement never seemed to work. He’d always seem to stare at her, those large eyes somehow conveying disappointment. He looked too young to be able to express such depth. 

“Maybe he’s trying to tell you something.”

She startled again, not hearing Din at all. She was getting too complacent here, too comfortable. She looked up at him, stunned she hadn’t thought of that. Grogu might look young but he was older than she was. She almost kicked herself, rising from the floor to find his other works. He couldn’t speak to them in words, maybe this was his way of communicating. She spread the other pictures over the floor, trying to keep them in the order he’d painted them.

“What do you see?” she asked Din.

He walked closer, careful not to step on any. “Lots of colours?” he replied uncertainly. “You’d know better than me.”

She huffed, knowing she wouldn’t get more of an answer from him. She’d been taught to look more at the technical side of things, not helpful when the artist was still learning basic motor control. “What do you want me to say?” he asked.

“An untrained eye might be more useful for this,” she replied.

Din stepped away, walking to Grogu and kneeling down to his level. He glanced back at Sabine, her arms crossed over her chest as she stared back. He sighed but maybe it was worth a try. “Are you trying to tell us something with your pictures, pal?” he asked gently. “Sabine thinks you might be.”

His ears perked up a little, walking carefully over to the latest picture, tapping insistently again. He looked at her, small hand raising, pointing at her waist. Sabine looked confused for a moment, patting down her belt until she gasped loudly. Digging into one of her pockets, she pulled out the small silver ball Grogu was so fascinated with. She handed it back to the kid, but he instead turned and returned to Din. It was odd; there was usually more of a struggle to get it back. “Thanks, buddy,” he muttered, not having a clue what was going on.

“I’m so stupid!” Sabine shouted, snatching one of the pictures from the ground and turning to leave the hold.

Din didn’t have a clue what was going on, picking up Grogu to follow her. They hadn’t made it to the cockpit when he felt the lurch of them exiting hyperspace, the need to rush hitting him. “What’s wrong?” he demanded.

“Look!”

The view didn’t show anything extraordinary, only the shining blue world off in the distance. A few small moons surrounding it. “Ocean or ice planet,” he suggested. “Not my favourite.”

“No … look” she insisted, holding up the canvas.

It took him a minute, but he realized what she was talking about. The colours were wrong but there was a large purple handprint with four smaller dots surrounding it off to the right. Just like the four moons of the planet. “He’s drawing us a map?” 

“Yes!” she replied, grinning. “He’s been trying to tell us where to go, we just didn’t understand.”

“But how?”

“I’ve never seen his species before … maybe … maybe they originally come from the unknown regions! Maybe that’s why,” she guessed. “Maybe he’s trying to show us the way home.”

He glanced back at Grogu, watching them both solemnly. “Is that what you’re doing?” he asked quietly. “Are you leading us somewhere?”

He knew he wouldn’t get an answer, just those large eyes looking back at him. He turned back to Sabine, still hesitant. “What if you’re wrong? We could be lost forever if we go off course.”

“Or we could find what we’re looking for,” she replied calmly. “Jedi, they know things. Things that you and I can’t feel, they just do. Sometimes, you just need to take it on faith.”

Faith was in short supply these days. It had been for most of his life if he was honest. He didn’t know much about Grogu’s powers, but the kid was special. Ahsoka had been the closest thing to a Jedi he’d met according to Sabine, but she had given off a sense of knowing that had unnerved him. Sabine was right, he’d never encountered anything like the boy before in his life, maybe he did come from somewhere else, somewhere few dared to travel. Maybe he did instinctively know his way home. 

“What if this is true?” he asked. “What about your friend?”

Sabine’s face shuttered. “I promised to find the kid a Jedi,” she said neutrally. “If … if that means someone other than Ezra, maybe I wasn’t meant to find him.”

She rose from the seat, moving to allow him to take over. “This isn’t about what you or I want, it’s about him,” she answered. “Follow the lines he drew or get us back on course, I won’t stop you.”

She picked up Grogu, talking to him quietly about colours as she walked out of the cockpit. He looked over at the supposed map, the thin, scratched out lines leading away from the planet. What did he really have to lose if he trusted her gut? Being lost out here forever? They’d die if they didn’t have supplies soon enough. No one would really miss him if he never came back, one less bounty hunter in the galaxy was no great loss. Would it really be so bad to trust for once?

He screwed the knob back in, making a decision. Three days. Three days to prove this insane theory and hope it didn’t kill them all.

________________________________________

It only took two, Sabine looking a little smug as they approached the small planet. She deserved it for putting up with Din’s complaining. The cargo hold was a mess, paint splattered everywhere as she gave Grogu full reign over her supplies. But she at least thought it was worth it as they approached the system, six planets in all just like Grogu’s latest piece. “He keeps pointing at the fourth planet, that seems to be our best bet,” she grinned.

“And if you’re wrong?” he couldn’t help asking.

“Then we check out the other planets,” she shrugged.

Din was quiet as they approached, the trees and grass giving her some comfort that the air here would be breathable. There were lakes and rivers dotting the landscape, but she couldn’t see any sign of civilization. Her mood sunk lower the longer they looked, finding nothing that seemed to indicate a higher life form living here. “Any help, buddy?” she said meekly.

Grogu ignored her, sitting quietly on his seat, munching on a ration. Her hopes had been so high, so sure she’d been right about this. “Maybe they live underground?” she suggested. “It would explain the large eyes.”

“Or maybe …”

He never finished his sentence, banking left sharply. “What?” she asked, rising from her seat to see better.

He didn’t need to answer, she knew why he’d turned immediately. The wreck was old, the terrain growing over it again, but the skid mark was still slightly visible. As was the Lambda-class shuttle at the end of the trail. It was missing a wing, but the core of the ship seemed intact. Someone could have survived the crash, but the question was who. The last thing she needed was to find was Thrawn had survived.

“Land on -”

“The ridge, I know,” Din cut her off tersely.

She let it go, more than a little tense herself. Heading towards their weapon’s cache, she started loading up, needing to be ready for anything. She felt the ship land, holding on as they hit the rough surface. Din appeared a moment later, apparently having the same idea. “One of us should stay with the ship,” he said as he loaded himself up.

“Not a chance,” she answered. “There could have been a dozen people in there.”

She waited for him to argue but he ordered her to wait for him instead. He was back in minutes, the kid nowhere in sight. “Let’s do this. Fast,” he said, the modulator barely picking up the last word.

“I’ll check the ship,” she told him, not giving him a chance to argue.

He headed towards the treeline as Sabine moved carefully down the small hill. He didn’t like this, but he wasn’t sure how long the small hold would keep Grogu this time. He didn’t like using it again, but he had no idea what to expect here. He couldn’t see any movement from the trees, scanning the ground for prints. There were several, humanoid for sure but barefoot. At least one person had survived. Someone was still around.

He had no warning, someone dropping in from above, yanking him back as his blaster was ripped from his hand. The man held it steady, motioning him to put his hands up. “I’m not alone,” he told the stranger.

“A Mandalorian rarely is,” he replied, voice sounding rough from disuse.

“Are you Imperial? Was that your shuttle?” he questioned, trying to buy time for Sabine to get here.

“I just want off this rock. I need to get back to the war!”

He didn’t know what the hells this man was talking about, needing to stall him. “Holding my gun on me isn’t the way to get my help.”

“I need to get back!” the man insisted.

He heard her before he saw her, Sabine with her jetpack, landing behind him with her gun raised. “Lower it! Now!” she ordered.

The man complied, lowering the blaster to the ground slowly. He looked in rough shape, clothes barely held together, and his too-long beard and hair were matted. He’d been here a while, yet had somehow managed to survive. 

“Are you alone?” he asked, scanning again for others before moving cautiously to retrieve his blaster. “I’m not fond of Imps.”

He didn’t reply, somehow getting the drop on him and putting him in a chokehold, a bright green light barely appearing in his vision. The man spun them both, facing Sabine.

He knew Sabine was a good shot, so he was completely surprised when she dropped her gun instead. She removed her helmet, dropping it to the ground, missing the thump he should have heard when the man laughed loudly behind him. “It took you long enough.”


End file.
